Pop stands alone in terms of one-team coaching tenure

It probably didn’t generate much buzz around the Gregg Popovich household yesterday — if it was even acknowledged.

But the retirement of Tony LaRussa as the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals gives the Spurs coach a unique distinction among those directing professional sports teams. Popovich has more tenure with his team than any current coach in any of the four major North American sports.

Popovich took over from Bob Hill on Dec. 9, 1996. It was only a few weeks after Bill Clinton had been elected to his second term as president. Bill Parcells was coaching the New England Patriots, Marv Levy was still coaching the Buffalo Bills and Tommy Lasorda has just walked away from managing the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The NBA was much different then, too. Bill Fitch was coaching the Los Angeles Clippers. M.L. Carr was coaching Boston. The Vancouver Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors were beginning their second seasons as a franchise. John Mackovic was still coaching football at Texas — only a few days from his biggest victory there with a victory over Nebraska in the first Big 12 championship game.

Popovich has directed the Spurs for 1,180 regular season games and 181 during the playoffs since then. That figure is 19th on the NBA’s career list in regular season games and fifth in playoff games.

And here’s a look at where Popovich stands with his contemporaries in pro coaching in terms of directing one team. The date listed is their first game as a head coach/manager.